Movies Based on Dante's Inferno
Dante’s The Divine Comedy has inspired a wealth of literature, espeically books about Dante’s Inferno, exploring its complex themes of sin, punishment, and redemption. Inferno has also made a significant impact on film, as directors have drawn on its vivid imagery and moral dilemmas to create captivating stories. In this post, we’ll explore modern movies that either adapt Inferno directly or reflect on its core themes. From horror to psychological drama and even to action, these movies take viewers on journeys through despair, hope, and the quest for meaning beyond our earthly existence.
Dante's Inferno an Animated Epic
Release Year: 2010
This adaptation brings a dark, action-filled twist to The Divine Comedy for modern audiences. It follows Dante as he fights through the 9 circles of Hell to save his love, Beatrice. Inspired by the video game, the film reimagines Dante's classic journey with intense battles against demons, monsters, and even Lucifer himself.
As Above, So Below
Release Year: 2014
A team of explorers ventures into the Paris Catacombs in search of the legendary Philosopher's Stone, only to descend into a nightmare. Inspired by Dante’s Inferno, the film mirrors a journey through Hell's circles, with each level drawing them closer to terror and madness, forcing them to face their sins.
The House that Jack Built
Release Year: 2018
A serial killer named Jack narrates his twisted journey to Verge, a character inspired by Dante's guide, Virgil. Jack perceives each murder as a work of art, descending into a personal hell that reflects the layers of Dante's Inferno. His increasingly horrific "creations" lead him to confront the moral abyss of his actions.
What Dreams May Come
Release Year: 1998
Drawing heavily on themes from Dante's Inferno, the story explores love, grief, and the afterlife. After a tragic accident takes their children's lives, Chris Nielsen then dies in a crash and becomes a ghost, unable to reach his heartbroken wife, Annie. Overcome by guilt, Annie takes her own life, leading Chris to journey through Heaven and Hell to find her.
1408
Release Year: 2007
In 1408, Mike Enslin’s stay at the Dolphin Hotel bbecomes a personal descent into hell, echoing Dante’s Inferno. The room forces him to face his hidden guilt, grief, and disbelief, with each horror worse than the last. What starts as a simple ghost hunt traps him in a relentless cycle of supernatural terror, echoing the punishments of souls in Dante’s Hell.
Jacob's Ladder
Release Year: 1990
This haunting film follows Vietnam War veteran Jacob Singer as he struggles with PTSD and disturbing hallucinations. Echoing Dante's Inferno, his journey reflects a descent into personal Hell, where demons symbolize trauma and loss, blurring the lines between life and the afterlife.
Mad God
Release Year: 2021
Mad God is a dark and surreal film that resonates with Dante's Inferno. It follows the Assassin, a mysterious figure exploring a disturbing, post-apocalyptic underworld filled with monstrous creatures. This disturbing journey raises questions about suffering and the cycle of life and death, making Mad God a powerful modern take on the themes found in Dante's work.
Baskin
Release Year: 2015
In "Baskin," a group of police officers stumbles into a nightmarish version of hell while responding to a distress call at an abandoned station. They encounter a cult performing gruesome rituals, revealing that hell is a state of mind. As the officers face terrifying visions, they realize they are trapped in a cycle of torment, echoing Dante's themes of sin. Ultimately, "Baskin" reveals that the true horrors lie within.
Over the Garden Wall
Release Year: 2014
Set in the eerie realm of the Unknown, two half-brothers navigate a forest filled with whimsical and ominous creatures. Drawing inspiration from Dante's Inferno, their journey reflects themes of sin and redemption. They encounter the sinister Beast, who preys on lost souls, mirroring the trials of Dante's own path through the afterlife.
Se7en
Release Year: 1995
In Se7en, the killer's use of the Seven Deadly Sins as a framework connects to the themes of moral judgment and sinfulness explored in Dante's works. While the sins aren't directly mapped to Inferno (the sins themselves are addressed in the 9 levels of purgatory), the film evokes a similar exploration of human depravity and the consequences of sin.